Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
The site comprises two uninhabited marine islands: Inishkeeragh, located 2.5 km from the mainland and comprising unimproved dry grassland, and Illancrone (former site IE010), a small island on a stony reef, 1.5 km from the mainland. The only land-use is sheep-grazing (intensity not known).
This is an important site for wintering
Branta leucopsis and breeding seabirds, particularly terns
Sterna. Historically, five tern species bred on these islands, but in recent years (1994-1995)
Sterna dougallii has not bred, and the number of
Sterna sandvicensis has been small (1 pair, 1995).
Sterna hirundo continues to breed, and the islands are one of the top five breeding sites in the Republic of Ireland for
Sterna paradisaea and
Sterna albifrons.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site is under consideration by NPW for designation as a Special Protection Area. Nesting terns are disturbed by sheep grazing.
National None
International None
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Inishkeeragh and Illancrone (Ireland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/inishkeeragh-and-illancrone-iba-ireland on 28/12/2024.
